Legal risk remains unchanged’ – Attorney General’s advice on latest assurances might have sealed fate of Brexit Deal
3951 Min Read
The Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has published his legal advice on the assurances Theresa May negotiated in Strasbourg last night.
He said the “legal risk remains unchanged” of the UK being stuck in the backstop.
Cox says that if a future relationship deal cannot be struck not because of “bad faith”, then the backstop kicks in.
“The UK would have, at least while the fundamental circumstances remained the same, no internationally lawful means of exiting the protocol’s [backstop] arrangements, save by agreement,” he writes.
Keir Starmer, Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary, said that “The attorney general has confirmed that there have been no significant changes to the withdrawal agreement despite the legal documents that were agreed last night. “The government’s strategy is now in tatters.”
After hitting its highest level against the euro for 22 months last night, sterling fell sharply when the attorney general’s legal advice was published.
Meanwhile, the pound was a cent lower versus both the single European currency and the dollar on the day. Trading was volatile.
He said the “legal risk remains unchanged” of the UK being stuck in the backstop.
Cox says that if a future relationship deal cannot be struck not because of “bad faith”, then the backstop kicks in.
“The UK would have, at least while the fundamental circumstances remained the same, no internationally lawful means of exiting the protocol’s [backstop] arrangements, save by agreement,” he writes.
Keir Starmer, Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary, said that “The attorney general has confirmed that there have been no significant changes to the withdrawal agreement despite the legal documents that were agreed last night. “The government’s strategy is now in tatters.”
After hitting its highest level against the euro for 22 months last night, sterling fell sharply when the attorney general’s legal advice was published.
Meanwhile, the pound was a cent lower versus both the single European currency and the dollar on the day. Trading was volatile.